Thursday, November 04, 2010

There's a surreal moment when you first step inside La Paula. Its bare shopfront gives no indication of the colour and vibrance within. I headed here for this month's Time Out Sydney column, and as we sat on plastic chairs in a dining room filled with gaudy streamers and Chilean flags, sinking our teeth into warm empanadas and lomitos, I almost convinced myself I was somewhere in Santiago, and not downtown Fairfield, Sydney.

La Paula, Fairfield

WHAT IS IT?
A Chilean bakery and café in Fairfield that specialises in empanadas and dulce de leche sweets.

WHAT’S IT LIKE?
Step through the non-descript shopfront and you’ll find a festive interior strewn with Chilean flags and giant crepe paper rosettes and streamers in patriotic red, white and blue. You’ll hear a constant soundtrack of Spanish dialogue as locals pick up takeaway orders of sweets from the bakery, or sit down for a quick snack whilst watching Chilean cable TV.

Paula empanada

WHAT SHOULD I ORDER?Empanadas are the specialty: a stuffed pastry that comes baked or deep fried. Empanada de Pino ($3.70) is the most traditional, filled with beef mince, onion, olive and boiled egg, but you’ll also find tuna, chicken, ham and seafood. Empanada de Queso ($2.60) is particularly good, deep-fried until its special blend of cheeses is deliciously gooey.

Empanadas

Emapanada de Pino $3.70Baked beef, onion, olive, egg and spices

Empanada de Pollo $3.70Baked chicken, onion, olive, egg, spices

Empanada de Espinaca $3.70Baked spinach and cheese

Empanada de Queso $2.60Fried with homemade cheese filling

WHAT ELSE?
The lomito pork sandwich is Chile’s answer to fast food. A towering Lomito Completo ($7.80) gives you the lot – tender pork slices, tomato, sauerkraut, lettuce and lashings of mayonnaise in a soft white bun. Chacarero is the beef version: thin slices of steak with tomato, mayonnaise and sliced green beans, a cominbation that sounds odd, but surprisingly works.

You’ll also find completos hot dogs (from $3.50) that are amped up with tomato, sauerkraut and mayonnaise. Everything tastes even better with the addition of palta (avocado). Wash it all down with mote con huesillo, a summer drink of sugar and cinnamon served with cooked barley and a rehydrated whole dried peach.

DESSERT
A display cabinet shows biscuits sandwiched with manjar, the Chilean version of dulce de leche caramel made from condensed milk. Berlin custard-filled donuts are a popular local treat that originated via the large German community in Chile, but the store pick is the tres leche, or three milk cake, a butter cake soaked in evaporated milk, condensed milk and cream and then smothered in blowtorched meringue.

oh wow i always drive past here but thought it was just a dodgy row of shops? i ususally buy bread from this place around the corner huge lebanese style breads which are so so nice toasted with cheese 7 chilli - pity this place closes at 5pm though? i might visit one of these weekends thanks for sharing :)

Don't think I can't see right through you, Helen! I know you were trying to distract me with the green beans and other vegetables inside the burgers and empanadas. But it didn't work! I still only have eyes for the desserts :D

I a=m going to make a trip to Fairfield soon. I love Empanada De Queso. My grandma used to make all sorts of Empanadas for us when we were little. The cheese empanada was my favourite. Oh you just unleashed some memories for me with your post.

thank you thank you thank you Helen - for finding this absolute gem!I cant wait to try their tamales and the tres leches cake.I totally agree with your observation that everything tastes better with avocado, I had a chilean friend that slathered it on everything!counting down the days 'til I get my empanada fix!

The pictures are exactly what you get, reality. The taste is even better. My all time favourite is to start off with the cheese, empanada then have a chacarero ( the one with the green beans and must have avocado ) to finish off with a berlin ( custard filled ). You end up rolling out the door but if you skip breakfast and make it brunch it is SO worth it. Anyone that has been there or speaks spanish can also tell you that the staff are great as the owners daughter runs the place along with a great crew of staff. Another thing you cantake home you fresh beautiful baked bread and any of the fabulous cakes, empanadas or sandwiches because they also do takeaway. Prices are great for the top quality.